Simply Mysterious
by dying by sherbet
Summary: Edward Elric and his brother Alphonse set out on a simple trip to visit Winry back in Rizenbul, but when they realise something very important to them and others is missing, will this simple trip turn into an otherworldy adventure?
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N) **

_**Hey. This is my first FanFic! Please review!**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Fullmetal Alchemist.**_

_**That's a real shame.**_

_**Anyway, please enjoy reading!**_

_**Also, it has a lot of tin can jokes in. You know. About Al. grins**_

Chapter One – Nothing's Ever Simple

'And so we catch the train to where?'

Edward Elric considered the option of kicking his younger brother, Al, but three reasons overcame his urge to do so: one, he was in a suit of armour. Two, it would be as loud as someone kicking a tin can right into a loudspeaker, and most importantly, it would _hurt_. And no-one in that particular train station wanted to hear Ed scream.

'Rizenbul, Al,' Ed said, very slowly, to cover his anger. He clamped his hands over his ears as a train rushed past. 'We're going to visit Winry.'

'Oh God. ST Girl.' Al groaned, rolling his eyes.

'ST Girl?' asked Ed, genuinely bewildered. It soon came to him he shouldn't have asked.

'You know, ST Girl,' Al grinned. 'Spanner Thrower Girl.'

Ed glared at his little brother.

'Oh, Edward, don't tell me you've forgotten _already_? You _must_ remember! She threw that spanner at you and it hit you right between the eyes and knocked you out for -'

Ed decided he _would_ kick his little brother. And yeah, it made a loud sound, and yeah, his toes throbbed, but Al stopped talking. Okay, it didn't quite wipe the thrilled smirk from his face, but the stupid tin can shut up at least. Ed wasn't that fond of the thought of the few people walking past them knowing that he was knocked out for 4 hours by a spanner.

'Seriously, Al, if you don't shut up pretty damn soon, I'll grab some water, pour it over your soup can of a head and stand you in the desert until you rust!' Ed spat.

Al mimicked a look of sadness. 'Brother, I am deeply offended!'

Ed rolled his eyes again. 'Anyway, what's got you acting so cocky today? Normally you're in my shadow all the time!'

'Someone my size, in your sized shadow?' muttered Al quietly. 'Nothing, Brother.' he added.

'Al, tell me. There's something.'

'Um, no there isn't.'

'Yes. There. Is!'

'Seriously, Ed, there's nothing.'

'Al quit being such an ass and spit it out!'

Al looked at the floor. 'Okay. I just... was looking forward to seeing you getting hit by a spanner again.'

'ALPHONSE ELRIC, ONE OF THESE DAYS I'M GONNA PUT YOU IN A SHOP, FILL YOU WITH VEGETABLES, LEAVE YOU TO STEW AND SELL YOU OFF AS A RARE AND UNCOMMON TYPE OF HOLY SOUP!'

'Well then, I'll package you up and sell you off with the shrimps!'

_An hour later – train to Rizenbul_

Scenery sped past in smudges of colour, and Ed had his faced pressed against the cold window, his breath steaming up the clear glass, trying not to fall asleep. He didn't want to miss something important. The train shook gently as it sped over the hilly route to Rizenbul, filled with the noise of cheerful chatter from its passengers.

Al, however, was not paying attention to his older brother's antics. He was talking to the Ticket Collector, who it turned out was a natural ginger, even though his hair was currently dark brown. The sound of their pointless conversation was bugging Ed, and he turned to face Al. His evil glare of doom was enough for Al to accidentally spill his Ribena over himself and scuttle off you the bathroom.

Ed wiped the happy thoughts of his brother rusting in blackberry flavoured, tooth-friendly juice out of his mind as the Ticket Collector shot him a puzzled look.

'You're off to Rizenbul, I reckon.'

'Huh?' Ed tore his eyes from the blurred images that made up the world outside to look at the man. 'Rizenbul? Yeah.'

'That's what that boy said. In the suit of armour. Peculiar, he was.'

'Oh, really. How come?'

'Well, apart from the armour thing, he kept talking 'bout something called alchemy. Dunno what he was on about.'

Ed felt a feeling clamp his chest tighter. 'W-what? You must've heard of it!'

'Nope. Never in me life. Anyways, ticket, please.'

Ed handed the man his ticket. He sat up straight and reached for a piece of splintered bark in his pocket. He'd pulled it from a tree back in the city of Lior. It wasn't that often you found a tree in the desert, so he thought it might've been worth keeping it.

He snapped the brittle wood in half, and slapped it on the table in front of him with shaking hands. He clapped them together violently and jammed them onto the bark.

No Light. Not even a spark.

Panic bathed him in cold, like he'd been draped in a blanket made from frost.

'I just did it wrong!' he whispered to himself. 'I just did it wrong, that's all!'

He tried again, this time focussing more. Still the same result. The bark stayed split. Feeling slightly desperate, he knelt on his seat and tapped the woman behind him on the shoulder. She turned round, and he blurted out his question.

'Um, have you ever heard of alchemy?'

'Alchemy? No, never. Sorry.'

Ed froze. He dived to the seat on the other side of the table, and tapped the man behind it.

'Have you ever heard of alchemy?'

'What?'

'Alchemy! Do you know what it is!?'

'No, I'm afraid I don't.'

Ed yanked his bag from under the table and ran down the carriage to the men's bathroom.

'Al!' he shouted, his voice tinged with worry. 'Al! Where are you!?'

His brother came out, a towel in his hand.

'Shh, Brother, people are looking!' he hissed, waving his hands.

'None of them have heard of it!' Ed spat, slightly quieter.

'Heard of what?'

'Alchemy!'

Al shook his head, un-fazed. 'One of them must have.'

He stood on his tiptoes, though it was hardly necessary for someone his height. 'Yes, hello. Um, have any of you kind people heard of something called alchemy?'

Mutterings of 'No,' and 'What is he talking about?' and 'Why is there a talking can over there?' came from the passengers.

Al turned back to Ed, whose face was contorted with worry. 'And I can't perform it either! Al, it's like it's been completely wiped from everything!'

The train jolted as it moved slowly up a hill. Ed ran to the nearest window. At the top of this hill was what he'd been waiting for. The burnt remains of the house where he used to live when his mother was still alive. Him and his brother had burnt it to the ground the day they left to become national alchemists.

'What!? I don't understand!' he whispered. Al paced slowly towards the window.

And there, where the burnt ashes should've been, stood a house.

With lights glowing in all the windows.

'Al,' Ed choked. 'There's someone in our house.'

_**Right then, that's finished! Please review! And read the next chapter! laughs**_

_**Dying by sherbert, signing out x**_


	2. Chapter 2

**_(A/N) So, we're into chapter two! This is when the story gets a little... deeper! I hope you enjoy reading! It had some SERIOUS editing in this chapter :D_**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Fullmetal Alchemist. But I think I own Aura! Woo!**_

_**And even when Ed isn't talking to Al, he still manages to be completely insensitive, as you will find out...**_

Chapter two - 'Don't you want to hold my hand?'

'Look, Ed, don't do anything… stupid!' Al hissed. He watched Ed clamber through the bathroom towards the door at the other side.

'Would I?' Ed spat, pushing hard against the door.

'Well, yeah.' Al slammed the door of the bathroom shut and the noise of chatter returned to the carriage.

'Nice to know you're supportive! I hope you and your recyclable head have a great time when I'm away!'

Al grabbed his brother on the shoulder. Ed pulled out of his grasp.

'Al, come on! Don't you understand! _There is someone in our house_! The house that we _burnt down_!'

'Well, someone could've just built a new one in the same place!'

'No! Winry wouldn't have let that happen! Why is everything so hard for you to accept, Al?'

'Ed, you're overreacting, just hold on -'

But it was too late. Ed had shot out through the finally open door and was clambering up the side of the trailer in front, using the silver pegs sticking out of the metal as footholds. Al called out to him to stop, but Ed was already crawling along the top of the train. A swift jump now and he could land safely and be quick to see who was living in his house. But the wind was unusually strong, and he had to clamp his hands down on the train's top so he didn't tumble off.

Streaks of blonde hair blowing in his eyes, Ed pushed against the wind. If he didn't jump off now, he'd be too far. Then it struck him. The train should've stopped. It was supposed to have stopped in Rizenbul. He shouted to Al, but his words were tangled in the harsh wind. It tore at his body, and Ed swung off the train, just grabbing onto the tiny railing at the top with his fingers. Cursing, he whacked straight into the side of the train, sadly where the windows were. Struggling, he heaved himself back onto the top of the train. With bent knees, he took a deep breath, and leapt from the train.

'Ed!' yelled Al, who had been watching his brother's every more. 'Ed! Are you okay!?'

His urge was to jump after Ed, but looking off at the side of the train-track, his brother was nowhere to be seen.

'You _idiot_!' Al screeched. He turned back into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. 'I really worry about that boy sometimes. No, wait, scratch that. _Most_ of the time.'

And it was then, that all the train's passengers, attendants, and the train itself froze. The loss of alchemy was having a bigger effect than expected.

_**(Ed's P.O.V)**_

Gentle flakes of snow fell upon Ed's cheeks as he lay, un-moving, in the middle of a field of frosty grass. Snow-covered trees lined the edge of the field, and he dared to open his eyes. He took in these sights, and pressed his hand against his cheek, the melting snow dripping between his fingers. Brushing his hair out of his eyes, he sat up, and glanced slowly around.

'You know, it's dangerous for you to be alone out here.'

Ed turned his neck to fast to look behind him, he instantly cried out in pain.

'You shouldn't do that either. That's dangerous too.'

A girl fell to her knees next to him, smiling. Ed's face was contorted with confusion, and he was amazed she could smile so friendly to a stranger.

'W-who are you?' Ed stuttered, inching back.

Still the girl smiled. 'I'm Aura. And you?'

'E-Edward. E-Edward Elric.'

'E-Edward?'

'N-no, just - just Edward. Or Ed. I don't really care.'

Ed suddenly found himself feeling uncomfortable. The girl gave off a weird vibe. _Like a hippy I once met in Lior_, Ed thought, his mind wandering. _That was a cool hippy...she gave me a kiwi - ah, lets not get sidetracked now Edward._

'Yeah. Ed's better.' Aura stood up, and held out her hand. Ed sat still, as if he was frozen.

Aura laughed like a child. 'Take it, silly.'

'Take what?'

'Are you for real? Take my hand. You know what a hand is, right?' she added, grinning.

Ed scowled, and Aura pulled him up.

'So, how did you get here exactly? It's a pretty secluded area.' Aura asked. Ed walked along side her.

'I'm not entirely sure. One minute I was on top of a train, and the next -' he began, but Aura interrupted.

'_On top _of a train? Admittedly, that's a little weird, but still, I'd never dare to do a thing like that. I'm actually surprised you could get up there.'

'Why!?'

'Because you're really short. _Really _short.'

'AT LEAST I DON'T LOOK LIKE A GIRL VERSION OF PETER PAN OR GIVE OFF SCARY HIPPY VIBES LIKE A CERTAIN WIERDO GIRL I NOW KNOW!'

Aura grinned, and took Ed's hand. Surprised, he yanked it back.

'Don't you want to hold my hand, Edward?'

'What?'

'Don't you want to hold my hand? _I_ want to hold my hand.'

Ed froze. This girl was a little weird. Maybe he should just tie her to a tree and make a quick getaway...

'Edward!' asked Aura. 'Well!?'

'Okay, calm down, we'll get you a nice cup of tea, uh, maybe a few sanity pills, then I'll just dig you a nice hole, and you can lay in it until you feel better, 'kay?' he offered, suddenly feeling a little worried. _A nice deep hole_, he thought.

'Edward,' Aura said in almost a whisper. 'Don't you want to hold my hand?'

'Of course I do, but -'

'Then hold it.'

'Ah, but I have, um, tin can disease that I caught from my, uh, brother, and -'

'I'd already have it now, so just hold my hand, Edward.'

'Ah, but it's a special disease and you can't catch it until -'

'_Hold, my hand_.'

Aura's voice was tinged with anger. She thrust out her hand, and Ed held it, fearing the worst if he didn't. _This girl has problems_, he thought to himself. _Serious problems. She's obsessed with her own hand, for crying out loud!_

'Better?' he asked weakly.

'Not really.' Aura narrowed her eyes 'You can't stay anymore, Edward. I won't let you stay. Because you're one of _them_ making everything wrong.'

'Aura?' asked Ed slowly. 'Are you feeling okay?'

'I said you can't stay!' She raised her hand and it crackled with blue light before focussing into a narrow beam and throwing Ed. He crashed into the ground, coughing and spluttering. Aura had done something strange, something similar to casting a spell like a kid from a fairytale.

Ed's body jolted, and his head spinning, he stood up and ran. And yeah, he whacked into a tree, but he wanted to be as far from _her_ as he could be.

'Edward!' Aura shouted, clearly running after him. 'Edward wait!'

'Wait!? For you!? Are you insane!?'

Still coughing, Ed ran, faster and faster, but Aura was already in front of him, her speed tremendous.

'Why are you running, Edward?' she asked, looking genuinely surprised.

'Why am I running!? Because you're a psychopath!' Ed choked out, between splutters. 'You need therapy! Because, you're not human! No human can do that without alchemy! And alchemy's gone!'

Aura smirked. 'Oh really? Then what am I?'

'Apart from the psychopath thing? You're...You're...' Ed was lost for words. Then it hit him. 'You're one of the homunculi!'

Aura shook her head. 'Not quite.'

Not quite? Ed could've sworn she was a homunculus. And why wasn't he allowed to stay? Stay _where _exactly?

Then it dawned on him.

'Alchemy.' he said slowly.

Aura tried to look innocent, but Ed could tell from the tic in her cheek that she knew something.

'Alchemy!' he called. 'You know something, don't you!? About Alchemy! And where it's gone!'

Aura refused to look at him. She folded her arms and looked up like a little girl. _Very serious problems_, Ed though again.

It was then he noticed the gold pendant dangling on a thin chain around her neck.

'Where did you get that?' he asked, smirking. 'Because that has alchemy in, doesn't it? And you've hidden it all away for a reason, haven't you?'

Aura was silent, still in a strop. She finally gave in. 'Yeah, okay? But I'm not doing anything wrong.'

Ed was taken aback. 'Of course you are! People's lives depend on that stuff!'

'It doesn't matter when you're like me.'

'Like. . .you?'

Aura nodded. 'Yeah, like me. I've got a long story to tell you. I can explain why it's so important alchemy dies out.'

'But it can't! Alchemy's too important! It's been used for so long now, if you take it away, everything will go haywire! Alchemy has weaved itself into the air, the ground, the sea, the land! It's like another element! If you take that away, even time could...mess up.'

_That explains it,_ thought Ed. _If I'd have looked into our house, I'd have seen Al and me, and...and our mother. If Aura doesn't return alchemy now, we could lose everything. Tim is already mucking up. I had no idea alchemy was the core of so many things!_

'Go on then,' said Edward. 'Tell me your story.'

Aura nodded. 'Okay. But it's long.'

'Well, tell it fast. 'Cos I just want to get home and tease my brother about being a soup can again.'

'A soup can?'

'Oh, er, that's a long story too.'

_**(A/N) Well, here we are again, at the end of another dysfunctional chapter! As I said, please review, and I hope you carry on reading!**_

_**Dying by sherbet, signing out x**_


	3. Chapter 3

**_(A/N) Hey! Sorry to everyone who was into the funnier side of the story – I know it lacked it in the previous chapter! It is difficult to make a chapter…you know, serious, but still really funny - and still full of tin can jokes XD But I know I got some in somewhere! Anyway, apologies for the kinda…serious (like I said before) look on things in the story at the moment! But for everyone who's into that side of stuff, I'm hoping it's at the right balance! Next chapter will be uploaded soon, it's nearly done, just re-writing the ending. And sorry for the wait for this one! I hope it's worth it!_**

_**I know, I know, I waffled.**_

_**And apologies for the typo in the last chapter when I wrote Tim instead of Time. I am, admittedly, not perfect.**_

**_Disclaimer: I don't own any of Fullmetal Alchemist – but maybe I own Aura (I don't actually know)_**

Chapter Three – Aura's Story

'I'm sure you'll see my point when I finish my story, Edward.' reasoned Aura.

'Well, I'm never going to see anything if you don't hurry up and tell me, so get on with it!' Ed was getting more and more irritated as he sat on the damp ground, but he was too afraid to stand up in case Aura shot him with the strange blue beam again. It was still snowing, and Ed was furiously brushing the snow out of his hair.

'Right then,' Aura took a deep breath. 'Here we go.'

Ed rolled his eyes. 'It doesn't need an introduction!'

'I'm not giving it an introduction!' Aura snapped.

'You don't need to get all defensive!'

'I'm not getting defensive!'

'You're getting defensive!'

'_I am not_! Now let me get on with my story!' Aura yelled angrily. 'Right. My parents met in the middle of a storm, so the family had always thought they're relationship would've been a stormy one, but it never was. Well, until the argument. You see, they'd been together for six years before they decided they wanted a kid – that's me – but the argument was about names or anything. That was simple. A boy, it would've been Haru, and a girl, Aura. As you can see -'

'So you're name's Haru?' Ed interrupted.

'_You_…_you_…_you…._….prune.' Aura finished weakly. Ed laughed evilly. She threw some snow at him and carried on. '_Anyway_, as I was saying, the relationship went downhill after my mother decided it might not be the best option for her to have a child. Obviously my father questioned her, and that was when she broke the news to him that caused the argument. She was a homunculus. Mother expected him to be furious and horrified, but he wasn't, and told her it didn't matter, that he loved her anyway. But my mother said she was concerned for the child. She said that a human and homunculus pairing wasn't sensible, and that the child could end up…damaged, I think was the word she used. My father was certain that the child – me – would be fine, but mother was still adamant I wouldn't be. She, as a homunculus, could make her hands glow with some sort of strange, silvery light -'

'Like you can?' Ed asked. He knew what was coming next in her story.

'Yeah. Yeah, I guess so,' Aura said quietly, staring at her own hands. 'But yeah, mother told father straight that they'd try and lock me up in some laboratory, and if he was willing to let that happen that he would be a terrible father. As far as I know they didn't speak for two or three days, and mother stayed with her sister. But apparently she thought about it for a long time and thought that maybe, as she'd stayed out of the labs for all her life, it would've been easier for me. So eventually she went back to father and told him she was sorry.'

'So, they had you?' Ed asked quietly. 'And you're half homunculus?'

'Obviously!' Aura snapped. 'Stop stating the obvious while I'm telling my story!'

'Well, I thought you were finished!'

'Well I'm not!'

'Okay! Okay! Carry on then. I won't say a word.' Ed made a gesture as if to zip his mouth shut.

'You forgot to throw away the key.' Aura said, rolling her eyes. Ed made to zip his mouth open.

'Yeah, but if I did that, I wouldn't be able to speak.'

'Zip your damn mouth and throw away the damn key Edward.' hissed Aura slowly. Ed did so quickly, and Aura began again. 'Well, I was born, and my parents were ecstatic. I remember being dropped off at my aunt's because my parents needed to do some shopping, and then my aunt got the news. When my parents had returned home – they were going to pick me up a little later – the police raided the house, after being tipped off there was a non-human living there.' Aura laughed coldly. ''Non-human!' They couldn't even say homunculus. She was considered _vermin_. And then, they took her away to the laboratory. I don't know which. But a month later my father received a letter that she had died in unfortunate circumstances.'

'Unfortunate circumstances…' mused Ed. 'A simple cover-up.'

'I told you to stop stating the obvious!' Aura hissed.

'I'm not! I'm just, thinking aloud!'

'Well, don't!' Aura snapped. '_Anyway_, my father knew people in high places, he said, and one of his friends who was a scientist in the lab where my mother died confirmed what had happened. They'd made her use her 'powers' so many times, it killed her from the inside.'

'From…from…the _inside_?' Ed mumbled quietly.

'Yes. You see, whenever I make that beam of light appear, I get a clenching feeling in my chest. My father's friend was in with the scientist who wrote up what killed my mother. That feeling…it's the heart. It skips beats. And my mother was doing this constantly, until her heart gave up completely.'

A tear squeezed itself from Aura's eye, and rolled down her cheek.

'Uh, y-you should, um…' Ed sat there, helpless, as Aura brushed the tear from her cheek. He placed a hand on her shoulder, and she held it there for a minute, finally letting it fall.

'So, do you see now?' Aura mumbled quietly, staring at the ground. 'Alchemy was the reason my mother died. If someone hadn't tried to bring her back using it, she'd never have suffered!'

Ed nodded. 'I know, Aura, but alchemy…you can't blame it for what happened. How alchemy was used then, to bring her back…it's forbidden. The laws of equivalent exchange make that clear.'

Aura tore her gaze from the melting snow on the ground. 'You think I don't know that?'

Ed was silent, pulling grass from the wet ground. 'Aura,' he said, raising his head to look at her. 'Someone must have loved your mother very much to want to bring her back. I should know.'

'Don't speak to me like a child!' Aura raged. Then she suddenly calmed down. 'Why…why should you know?'

Ed smiled. 'My own mother. When I was young, I persuaded my brother to help me transmute the…ingredients of a human body, and bring her back to life. She was our only remaining family really, as my dad had left on a trip. She always thought he'd come back, but he never did.'

'Why did you try?' Aura asked. 'Nothing good comes from it.'

'We didn't know that,' Ed said slowly. 'But it was the biggest mistake of my life. My brother and I suffered because of it, like your mother, but just think of the good alchemy does. The people that pay attention to the laws, and the people that follow them – look what good they can do!'

'Yes,' Aura muttered. 'I suppose that's true. But, Edward…what happened to you? And to your brother?'

'I had to seal my brother's spirit into something close by – which was a suit of armour. Now he can't eat, or smile, or do anything we take for granted.'

'And you?'

Ed took a deep breath, and rolled up his sleeve. His auto-mail glinted in the sunlight.

'It's terrible, right?' He asked. 'You're afraid, aren't you?'

Aura reached out a trembling hand and touched the cold steel. 'No. I'm not afraid.'

Ed smiled. 'That's good to hear. And think, Aura: my brother is only alive now, because of alchemy. It does good, too.'

Aura smiled. 'Yes. Yes, I can see it does.' She clenched her fists, and stood up. 'Yes. I'm going to…I'm going to let you have it back.'

Ed followed her, standing up, and flipping her pendant over between his fingers. 'That's a good idea, Aura,' he dropped the pendant, and it swung back to her neck. 'People are going to be happy you did. But…'

'You want to know how to get home?' she asked. 'It's okay. I'll take you back.'

She clasped his hand, and for once, Ed felt comfortable with it being there. There was a sound like a plate smashing, and a tremendous blue light erupted up from the ground, flowing over the field like a wild sea.

_On the train-tracks, Rizenbul_

Ed and Aura stood next to the train that Ed and Al had originally been riding in. The windows were steamed up, but Ed could still make out all the passengers sat as is frozen in their seats.

'See, Aura,' he grinned. 'Look at all the trouble you've caused.'

Aura glared at him. 'Shut up, Edward.'

'But look, all the little passengers, all frozen. And do you know _why_ they're frozen?'

'Yes.'

'Are you sure?'

'Yes.'

'I don't think you're sure.'

'Trust me, Edward, I'm sure.'

'You're not sure. Shall I tell you why they're all like that so you _are _sure? Because you're not sure. I _know_ you're not sure.'

'Edward -'

'They're all frozen, _because_…you took alchemy away!'

Aura rolled her eyes. 'You don't say!'

'Oh, I'm sorry,' Ed laughed. 'You really _were_ sure, then?'

Aura slapped him hard on the shoulder and he stopped laughing, and started scowling. Ed stepped over random obstacles like rocks and tufts of unusual spiky grass (that really hurt if you fell on it, Ed soon found out) until he reached the side of the train. Clambering up onto one of the planks between the carriages, he looked around for Aura, who was stood at his feet.

'Are you coming up, or what? Ed asked, holding out his hand to help her climb up. Aura bit her lip. 'I'm not sure. Seeing your brother…it might remind me of my mother.'

'Brother, mother…yeah, I see how that could work.'

'Don't be stupid, Edward, it's got nothing to do with rhymes. If your brother, as you say, is in a suit of armour, the whole pain of alchemy might come back, and I might have the urge to take it back again,' she sighed. 'If you hadn't noticed, I go through serious mood swings. That's the thing with being half homunculus.'

Ed grinned. 'Mood swings? What mood swings?' he asked, as Aura shot him a filthy look. 'Anyway, are you coming? Nothing'll happen, trust me.'

Aura took her hand and clambered onto the plank. 'Trust you? I must be insane.'

Ed nodded. 'Yep. Pretty much.'

**_(A/N) Ta-dah! The end of another chapter. I debated whether to finish the story here, or have one more chapter. Yeah, one more chapter. C'mon, you know you wanted one more chapter too! So, yep – there's another chapter! Or at least, there will be... (I said chapter a lot)_**

_**Dying by sherbet, signing out x**_


	4. Chapter 4

**_(A/N) OHMIGOSH! Last chap! Sorry, I know it took a while to get here seeing as how I updated kinda slow. But here it is: last and final part. This is when you can finally review the ending...(that means I want you to, 'kay?)_**

_**Disclaimer: I don't own any of Fullmetal Alchemist. Which sucks.**_

_**Get your tissues ready…**_

Chapter Four – A Different Goodbye

Ed pulled at the door handle to the carriage, but it refused to open. He tugged furiously, before finally giving up. He sighed, and stepped back.

'We don't need to be in the train to put the alchemy back.' Aura reasoned.

'Yeah, but I need to be in there. I'm supposed to be on this train, and I don't want it going off without me.' Ed explained, yanking the handle again. Aura paused, and brushed him aside.

She laid a hand on the handle, and it glowed with a gentle white light. The handle clicked, and she fell backwards into Ed, who caught her just before she fell off the plank of wood they balanced on. Aura groaned, her eyelids flickering.

'Hey, are you okay?' Ed asked, helping her to stand up. 'Maybe you shouldn't do that if it's _that_ draining.'

Aura shook her head. 'No, I'm fine, honest.'

Ed let her go, and she fell to her knees again.

'Nope,' he said firmly. 'You definitely shouldn't do that again.'

He placed one of her arms around his shoulder, and helped her to walk into the carriage. Leg's shaking, she sat down on one of the seats next to a frozen passenger.

'Ed,' she said weakly. 'The necklace.'

She lifted it over her head and handed it to him. Ed held it in his hands for a moment, before turning slowly to her.

'Erm…'

'What's the problem?'

'Um…how do I get the alchemy out, exactly?'

'You crack it. Here.' She threw a knife at him that was laid with some bread on the table she sat at.

'Now that wasn't very clever, was it?' Ed asked mockingly. He picked the knife up off the floor. 'Throwing knives at the nice boy who helps you in the carriage?'

Placing the necklace on one of the tables, he raised the knife, and brought it down heavily onto the necklace. Sure enough, it cracked down the middle, and a pale, green line of light snaked from it. It slithered across the floor, almost like water, and began to make itself into a shape in the centre of the carriage. Ed eventually made out the faint shape of a transmutation circle. It began to glow gold for a few seconds, before erupting like a firework in a magnificent emerald light. He shielded his eyes, and Aura did the same. The light swept across the floor, just like it had done in the field. It carried on until it was outside, flowing like a river across the land. And then, the train began to move. It jerked a few times, before running smootthly once more.

Ed turned to Aura, grinning widely. She smiled back, until he turned around to look for Al.

'Now where's my soup can of a brother…' he asked himself, as the passengers began to snap back into movement. Disappointed that he couldn't think of a more original insult, he scanned the carriage for Al, until he finally noticed him, sat at the table in the corner.

'Hey, CM,' Ed smirked, jostling his brother by the shoulder. He spun around, recognising Ed's voice.

'Brother!' he yelled, ecstatic. And then he lowered his voice. 'Where did you go? And what does CM mean?'

'I'm not actually sure where I went Al; it's a pretty long story. And CM? You should know what that stands for!'

Al shook his head.

Grinning, Ed leant in. 'CM. It stands for…Can Man!'

'Edward! Don't be so mean!'

'I'm not being mean, CM!'

'Quit calling me that!'

'Quit calling you what?'

'Can Man!'

'I'm not calling you Can Man! I'm calling you CM!'

'Uh, um, Ed?'

Ed looked round behind him. Aura stood there, smiling weakly. She glanced at Al. 'Is this your brother?' she asked.

Ed nodded. 'Yeah. Can Ma – I mean, Alphonse Elric.'

Aura stuck out her hand.

'Don't shake it, Al.' Ed warned in a low voice. Aura slapped him again.

'It's nice to meet you,' she said. 'I'm Aura. I met your brother when he disappeared.'

Al nodded. 'You too. By the way…how many can jokes did my brother make when he was away?'

Ed stood behind Al, shaking his head furiously at Aura with wide eyes. 'Zero!' he mouthed.

'He made too many to count.' Aura said, grinning evilly.

'Brother!' whined Al. Ed shot Aura a dirty look.

'Anyway,' Aura began again. 'I'm going to go. I need to get home.'

'Oh…' Ed asked, surprised. 'So soon?'

'Mmm,' Aura mumbled timidly.

'Well, I'll see you off then, if you're sure. Off the train, anyway. I mean, I think me and Al missed our stop, so…'

'No, you can just stay here, I -'

'No, please -'

'Edward -'

'Aura -'

Al looked on, amused. The pair finally stopped, an uneasy silence between them.

'Well, I guess you can, if it's no trouble.' Aura muttered quietly. Ed nodded, and followed her out to the back of the carriage. He turned to Al, who stood up and walked after them.

Edward clapped his hands and placed them on the wood beneath their feet so it extended long enough for them to walk along it to climb from the train. It sprouted upwards, so there was a makeshift barrier that stopped them falling off.

Finally off the train, and stood at the side of the train tracks on a raised bank of mud that was either side of the tracks, there was – once again – the uneasy silence. Al nodded to Ed, and began walking away. Ed cursed his brother for leaving him without a leg to stand on if Aura said anything that made him feel guilty.

'So, erm…' he said, scratching his neck.

Aura coughed, staring at the ground. 'I, uh…'

They both looked up and opened their mouths to speak.

'You first.' Ed offered.

'N-no, you.' Aura countered. One again, the uneasy silence.

'This is hopeless.' Ed laughed nervously. Aura nodded, staying silent.

Ed took a deep breath. _Why is she leaving me to speak all the time? It's so damn annoying!_ He opened his mouth, without releasing any sound. _Dammit! I can't even speak to her! _

To his relief, Aura looked up. He glanced a train coming past. Anything she did say, he wouldn't be able to hear anyway, thanks to the train. Furious for some reason, he clenched his fists at his sides.

'Um, Edward, w-what I really meant to say back there, was, uh -'

She was cut off as Ed pulled her forward so she wasn't shocked by another train, which was growing closer.

'Edward!' she yelled, panic-stricken, as she suddenly lost her footing as he let go of her.

She fell backwards, but her scream was drowned out by the sound of the train. Ed leant forward to grab her, and as he shook, she could see he would fall with her as she landed, screaming, on the train tracks. Doing what she could, she closed her eyes and focussed all her energy into releasing as much power as she could.

And there was the bright blue light again. It exploded from her, almost violently, and it threw Ed backwards away from the track.

'_Aura_!' he screamed. '_Aura_!'

The train flew past in the smallest amount of time, but to Ed, it seemed like forever. He shut his eyes, horrified. When it finally passed, he slowly opened them, fearing the worst. But there, laid on the edge of the track, was Aura, crying and shaking. The explosion of alchemy had flung her back into the mud bank opposite Ed, clearing her just enough space so she was safe.

He dived onto the track, and placing his arms around her waist, Ed dragged her up the bank, and laid her on the damp mud. She sobbed violently, shaking on the ground, until she flung herself up suddenly, her hands clamped on the back of his neck. Surprised, Ed sat there, stock still.

He hesitantly placed his hands around her waist, and they sat there, silent, apart from Aura's sobbing for a few minutes, before she finally let go and wiped her eyes.

'E-Edward,' she mumbled, still crying slightly. 'I-I'm s-s-so s-sorry! I-I a-almost k-k-killed you!'

He smiled, wiping her hair out of her eyes. 'No, it's my fault. If I hadn't of let you go, you'd never of fallen.'

'Don't be stupid!' she spluttered, angrily wiping tears from her cheeks. As she did so, Edward grabbed her hand, and placed it back on the mud. She started, and looked up at him. There was a long pause before she finally spoke again. She placed her hand gently on her shoulder.

'I…I didn't want to leave -' she began.

'No, it's okay, honest, Aura.'

'Uh, Edward, I wasn't finished.'

'Oh, sorry, carry on.'

She took a deep breath. 'What I was saying was…I didn't want…I didn't want…I didn't want to leave…'

Her hand on her shoulder suddenly relaxed, and the folds of his cloak grasped in her fingers fell loose. She fell back onto the mud, her breathing shallow and her eyes closed.

'Aura. . .?' Ed asked, bewildered. 'N-no!'

'…You,' Aura said weakly. 'I didn't want to leave you.'

She fell silent, and no matter how hard Ed shook her she wouldn't wake up. Forcing back tears, he felt a hand lay on his shoulder.

A woman knelt behind him, but she didn't seem real. It was almost as if he placed a hand on _her_ it would go straight through…

'She used up too much of her power,' the woman said quietly, and gently lifted Aura up. She stood, looking down at Ed. 'Her heart finally gave up. But please, don't worry.'

Ed gazed, shocked, at the woman. He blinked, and in that gap, she and Aura's body were gone.

'That woman…' Ed whispered. 'That woman…That was…'

_Her Mother_? Questioned a voice in his head...

_**(A/N) Gah, I can't believe I wrote that. They were so close to getting together… I'm angry with myself, but that just seemed to be the ending that fitted best.**_

_**I hope you liked the story! Well - worth it, or not??? Review please!**_

_**Thanks!**_

_**Dying by sherbet, signing out x**_


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